limburger59 - 80th Sqdn / 509th Group CO

[blaird]

Current Bomber: BLUES IN THE NIGHT    

    Serial Number: B-17G-90BO 43-31507
    New as of Mission 31 of the New Campaign
    80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

    Commander: 1LT Les Brown

    Crew Chief: T/SGT Julian San Sebastian  (Status: Dedicated) (formerly of The Great Expectations)
            2-8 = Standard mission and chances for Mechanical Failures.
            9-10 = No Mechanical Failure rolls during this mission.
            11-12 = No Mechanical Failure plus a Lady Luck Smile that can be used to try and mitigate one mechanical oriented damage result this mission.

Missions - Second Campaign:

Bomber	Mission	Location	Bombs %	Kills	PP	Notes
Bonnie (spare)	26	Mostar, Yugoslavia	40	0	0	Flying Spare after Great Expectations declared CAT-E
Bonnie (spare)	27	Larissa, Greece	50	0	0	Mission #25 for Co-Pilot, Ball Gunner, and SWG
Bonnie (spare)	28	Ploesti, Romania	40	.5	56	Mission #25 for Capt Dickins & Radioman
Belle Wringer (spare)	29	Piacenza, Italy	DNB	0	0	ABORT due to Heating Failure - No Mission Credit
Bonnie (spare)	30	Wiener Neustadt, Austria	40	0	3	Mission #25 for P. Waist Gunner
Hoosier Honey (spare)	31	Porto Santo Stefano, Italy	0	0		Interphone out for Bomb Run.  Tail Gunner KIA     Mission #25 for Engineer
Blues in the Night	31	Porto Santo Stefano, Italy	40	0	3	New Bomber
Blues in the Night	32	Nice, France	0	1	2
Blues in the Night	33	Bucharest, Romania	DNB	0	0	ABORT due to Heating Failure - Mission Credited
Blues in the Night	34	Latisana, Italy	8	0	0
Blues in the Night	35
Great Expectations	36
Great Expectations	37
Great Expectations	38
Great Expectations	39
Great Expectations	40
Great Expectations	41
Great Expectations	42
Great Expectations	43
Great Expectations	44
Great Expectations	45
Great Expectations	46
Great Expectations	47
Great Expectations	48
Great Expectations	49
Great Expectations	50

Great Expectations Original Crew: Started Mission 1
Great Expectations declared CAT-E after Mission 25 
BLUES IN THE NIGHT New Crew: Started Mission 31

BLUES IN THE NIGHT Crew

Position	Rank	Name	Missions	Kills	Awards	Notes	Stress	Hometown
Pilot	1LT	Les Brown	4					Reinerton, Penn
Co-Pilot	2 LT	Benny Goodman	4					Chicago, Ill
Bombardier	2 LT	Tommy Dorsey	4					Shenandoah, Penn
Navigator	2 LT	Gene Krupa	4					Yonkers, NY
Engineer	T/SGT	Gerry Mulligan	4					Queens, NY
Radio Operator	S/SGT	Ed Palermo	4					Tacoma, WA
Ball Turret	S/SGT	Joe Loos	4					Bellefonte, PA
Port Waist	SGT	Chick Webb	4					Baltimore, MD
Starboard Waist	SGT	Benny Carter	4					Bronx, NY
Tail Gunner	SGT	Ray Anthony	4	1				Bentleyville, Penn

Mission 2: Original Bombardier & Engineer - Abel Magwich & Joe Gargary - both seriously wounded and Invalidated Home.
Mission 3: New Engineer Toby "Flash" Crackit seriously wounded and Invalidated Home.
Mission 4: Navigator Clive Pumblechook seriously wounded and Invalidated Home. Three others wounded and hospitalized.
Mission 13: Navigator Curt Clark KIA
Mission 25: Navigator Cyrus Redman KIA
Mission 27: Mission #25 for Co-Pilot, Ball Gunner, and SWG
Mission 28: Mission #25 for Original Pilot Capt. Pip Dickins
Mission 30: Mission 25 for PWG
Mission 31: Mission 25 for Engineer
Mission 31: New Bomber & Crew - BLUES IN THE NIGHT


Missions - First Campaign:

Bomber	Mission	Location	Bombs %	Kills	PP	Notes
Great Expectations	1	Mostar, Yugoslavia	0	0	0	4 Crew suffered stress
Great Expectations	2	Pisa, Italy	60	0	103	2 Crew SW-IH
Great Expectations	3	Perugia	20	0	72	New Engineer SW-IH
Great Expectations	4	Istres/Le Tube, France	50	0	51	Navigator SW-IH
Great Expectations	5	Udine, Italy	DNB	0	173	Aborted w Fuel Leak and Engine Fire
Bonnie (spare)	6	Ferrara, Italy	40	0	6	1 Light Wound
Great Expectations	7	Pontassieve, Italy	50	0	11
Great Expectations	8	Toulon, France	DNB	0	25	Aborted due to Runaway Engine
Great Expectations	9	Verona, Italy	30	0	49
Great Expectations	10	Anzio, Italy	DNB	0	25	Engine Failure before Takeoff - No Mission Credit
Great Expectations	11	Regensburg, Germany	40	0	1	Navigator suffers Anoxia
Great Expectations	12	Certaldo, Italy	30	0	0	Squadron Lead
Great Expectations	13	Toulon, France	20	2.67	58	2x 110 destroyed & .67 190 destroyed,  Navigator KIA
Great Expectations	14	Steyr, Austria	28	0	21
Great Expectations	15	Bolzano, Italy	50	1	22
Great Expectations	16	Verona, Italy	DNB	0	0	Abort - No Mission Credit
Great Expectations	17	Skoplije, Yugoslavia	50%	0	2
Great Expectations	18	Sofia, Bulgaria	0%	1	11	1x 109 destroyed
Great Expectations	19	San Stephano, Italy	40%	0	0
Great Expectations	20	Ploesti, Romania	20%	1.5	67	1x 109 destroyed, .5x 110 destroyed
Great Expectations	21	Wiener Neustadt, Austria	20%	0	0
Great Expectations	22	Budapest, Hungary	44%	0	30	20th Mission for 4 original crew
Great Expectations	23	Rome, Italy	40%	0	0
Great Expectations	24	Vienna, Austria	50%	2	106	Used LC to avoid collision
Great Expectations	25	Ploesti, Romania	DNB	6	257	Declared CAT-E   Navigator KIA

Purple Heart
Second Purple Heart

Air Medal

Air Medal w 2 clusters

Air Medal w 3 Clusters    

Lucky Charm ♣

Bombardier Ace

Ace

Silver Star

DFC
Second DFC

[limburger59]

Pilot: 1LT Peter Waldo
B-17: THE GOOD SHEPHERD : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 12 June 42
MISSION # 1 (1st mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Ploesti Romania - Astra Oil Refinery

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Peter Waldo	1				RTD
Copilot	Lt C	Cal Moody	1				LW
Bombardier	2 LT	Marty Luther	1				LW
Navigator	2 LT	Augie Stein	1				RTD
Engineer	MSG	Casey Jones	1	.5	.5	.5	RTD
Radioman	SGT	Osceola Redcloud	1				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Otis “Mad Dog” Roswell	1				RTD
PWG	SGT	Verne McCoy	1	.5	.5	.5	RTD
SWG	SGT	Abner Hatfield	1				LW
Tail Gunner	SGT	Rebel Jackson	1				RTD

Bomb Run: Off Target 10%

Casualties: LtC Cal Moody: LW - Fragment in hip, RTD 19 June 42

            2LT Marty Luther: LW - torn flexor muscle, RTD 19 June 42
            SGT Abner Hatfield: LW - foot grazed, RTD 14 June 42

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x3  (3)
Light Wound x3 (6)

Peckham Points: 9

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid, Egypt 

Attackers: 5	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	3	1	1	1	1	0
C.202	2			1	1	0
TOTALS	5	1	1	2	2	0

Award/Promotion Requests:
    Purple Heart: LtC Cal Moody, 2LT Marty Luther, SGT Abner Hatfield

In Hospital: None

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

Outbound: We were all nervous when the 509th's Executive Officer surprised us with the announcement that he was going on the mission, and he was bumping my co-pilot to do so. We hadn't traveled many miles over the Med until the nervousness left us, as Lt. Colonel Moody regaled the crew with stories throughout the night of his barnstorming and test flying the B-17B and C. He was happy to be riding along in our modern B-17F, which was doubly clear from his tone of voice as he called the B-17Es in the Spare Pool "relics"! One potential negative from having the XO on board was that we were one of the last bombers to take off, as he hoped to get a assess the damage the group inflicted on the oil refinery. Once the sun rose though, the stories stopped and it was strictly business.

Target Zone: A lone 109 greeted us to the Target Zone, took some damage to its wing, and flew off. We assumed that the other enemy aircraft either did not exist, were refueling, or were too busy chasing the bombers that preceded us. One of the Tail Guns jammed, but SGT Jackson was able to repair it before we faced any bandits on the return trip. The flak was awake, yet missed us. The Lt. Colonel seemed mildly pleased at the fires burning in the refinery, but we put a damper on that mood by only placing 10% of our bombs on the target.

Inbound: Over Bulgaria, we spotted a fire on the ground but couldn't decide if the wreckage was one of theirs or one of ours. 

Just before we left Greece for the Aegean we had a couple bandits wing our way. The gunners have been doing their studying, and identified them as two Italian Macchi C.202s Folgores. SGT Roswell, dismissed by many as just a hillbilly, even knew that Folgore was Italian for Thunderbolt. The SGT also damaged both of them with his Ball Turret guns - one on the first pass, and the other on his second pass. Though the damage seemed significant, we could only count that one as a Probable. (FBOA). The XO said that if we hadn't been over the land he would probably have given the SGT credit for a kill, because it looked like it couldn't go far with the oily smoke it was trailing. 

Our next encounters with bandits was in the slot passing Crete. Here we faced two Bf-109s. The Top Turret and Port Waist gunner teamed up to dismantle one E/A for a spectacular kill, but the second 109 avoided our defenses and walked hits from our tail to our nose. In the aftermath we had three lightly wounded, and all the other damage missed critical components. When that fighter came back for more SGT Jones in the Top Turret punched back and sent that Jerry limping back to Crete.

That was our last encounter with the enemy. We sighted some other aircraft south of Cyprus which the gunners identified as RAF Spitfires before they opened up on our Little Friends.

As we approached Fayid the Colonel was relieved to see that many of our bombers were already in their hardstands. We fired off red flares to indicate wounded on board, and glided in for a landing. 

Peter Waldo, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: The Good Shepherd : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

SPARE B-17E: JOKER'S WILD

Squadron: 80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
MISSION DATE: 12 June 42
MISSION # 1 - Bomber out of the Spare Pool
TARGET: Ploesti, Romania - Astra Oil Refinery

CREW
(Current Mission) [Previous Kills] Position – Rank
(1) [xx]          Pilot: 1st Lt Glen Cranston                  (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx]          Co-Pilot: 2LT Silas Rediger                  (Assigned to The Good Shepherd, 80th Sqdn)
(1) [xx] *      Bombardier: 2nd Lt Marty Calloway      (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx]          Navigator: 2nd Lt Everett Rhodes         (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx] *      Engineer: M/Sgt Albert Dudgeon          (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx]          Radio Operator: Sgt Lorenzo Guzman   (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx]          Ball Gunner: Sgt Roy Johnson              (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx]         P. Waist: Sgt Roberto Sanchez              (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx]          S. Waist: Sgt Gene Buckland              (Spare Pool)
(1) [xx] *      Tail Gunner: Sgt Linden Watkins          (Spare Pool)

* = 1 kill

Bomb Run: On Target 30%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage:
Superficial x7 (7)
Rudder x2 (20)
Control Cables x1 (10)
Rubber Rafts destroyed (10)
PWG Mount broken (10)

Peckham Points: 57

Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid, Egypt

Attackers: 11
2x Bf-109: 1 destroyed
3x Bf-110: 1 Probable (FBOA)
2x FW-190: 1 damaged (FBA)
4x He-112: 2 destroyed

Claims: Kills = 3, Probables = 1, Damaged = 1, Driven Off by Escort = 0

Award/Promotion Requests: None

In Hospital: All crew members were healthy and flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT - Flying QOTS (Beery Module):

OUTBOUND- Zones 2 to 6: Nothing to Report

Zone 7: SGT sheepishly came on the interphone to report, "Umm, Captain...the port waist gun just fell off its bracket and disappeared into the night." (Mechanical Failure using Jasta6's variant table. Failure of a single gun position.)

Zones 8 to 10: Nothing to report. Beautiful sunrise.

Target Zone 11: Three waves greeted us to Romania. I guess the bombers ahead of us in the stream woke up the whole country. The first wave were a trio of Bf-110s. They must have just been waking up because after the air cleared we had taken mostly cosmetic damage, except for a missing panel in our rudder; while one of the 110s flew away on only one engine.

Next it was the Romanian's turn, with four of their HE-112s converging on us. Again we took some superficial damage and some damage that could have more serious implications later: our rubber rafts were shredded and some control cables were frayed. On their first pass the Nose Gun, which we had distained for being a measly .30 caliber, knocked down one Heinkel, and on their second pass our Tail Guns turned another 112 into a fireball. A lone FW-190 showed up 10 minutes later and we traded misses with him until he went away.

The Target area was obvious by the number of fires, which also obscured the target details. We released our bombs into the smoke from the fires and SGT Johnson reported seeing secondary explosions that seemed to be fuel related. While making our drop we were harassed by Flak which further damaged our rudder.

INBOUND- Zone 10: Nothing to Report

Zone 9: A 190 and two 109s found us over Greece, just before we reached the Aegean. One of the 109s had marking indicating he was an Ace - he must have been taking a break out here in the rear from the Eastern Front, but our Top Turret wrecked his vacation by riddling his fighter with .50 caliber shells - no doubt the first time he had ever seen a Flying Fortress. Somehow he made it out of his doomed plane an we saw his parachute floatto the Greek hills below. This may have discouraged the other bandits as they missed us repeatedly, and after the 190 was damaged they called it a day.

Zone 8 to 6: Nothing to Report.

Zone 5: The #3 engine sputtered and died on us. (Mechanical Failure) We were eventually able to restart it, but never got full power out of it again.

Zone 4 to 2: Nothing to Report.

Fayid: Safe Landing.

[limburger59]

B-17E: LACEY LADY
Squadron: 79th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
MISSION DATE: 12 June 42
MISSION # 1 - Bomber out of the Spare Pool
TARGET: Ploesti, Romania - Astra Oil Refinery

CREW
Position – Rank (Current Mission) [Previous Kills]
Pilot 1st Lt Dan Price
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Ed Bolland
Bombardier 2nd Lt Norman Woods
Navigator 2nd Lt Harry Shaw
Engineer M/Sgt Simon Bunker
Radio Operator Sgt Fred Brady
Ball Gunner Sgt Tasunka Greywolf
Waist Gunner Sgt Juan Moreno
Waist Gunner Sgt Matt Travinek
Tail Gunner Sgt George Whitman

Bomb Run: DNB

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage:
Mechanical Failure of the Fuel Transfer Pump
Irreparable damage suffered during belly landing in a farmer's field

Peckham Points: CAT-E

Disposition: Crash Landing near Rasheed, Egypt

Attackers: 0

AFTER ACTION REPORT - Flying QOTS:

OUTBOUND- Zones 2 to 4: Nothing to Report

Zone 5: The Fuel Transfer Pump just seized up. (Mechanical Failure using Jasta6's variant table.) When the Engineer failed to get it working we jettisoned our bombs, descended to 10,000 feet and turned back for Egypt. Calculations had us getting close but not all the way home. We were also concerned that we were going to run out of fuel in the dark, but calculations showed that we should see the sunrise while still airborne.

(Rolled for 4 zones worth of fuel before we ran out. That would get us to Zone 2. Since the sunrise per the briefing was 4 zones ahead of us I assumed that it would just be getting light about the time we ran out of fumes.)

INBOUND- Zone 4 to 2: In addition to jettisoning the bombs we started to throw overboard the ammunition and the single guns. We only kept enough ammo for the Top Turret and Tail Turret to fire a couple bursts. 2LT Woods was thrilled to chuck that .30 caliber out of the window. We waited until Zone 3 to dump the oxygen as we didn’t want to leave a trail pointing out the direction the group took.

As the sun began to rise we all kept our eyes peeled for the German’s Dawn Patrol, but spotted no enemy fighters.

Once we reached the coast, and found the Nile Delta to confirm we were over British Egypt and not Rommel’s Egypt, we began broadcasting a Mayday, and began a desperate search for a RAF airfield. Alas, we couldn’t find a field soon enough and we used our final gallons of fuel to make a belly landing in a farmer’s field near the Nile, about 25 miles from Alexandria and 15 miles from that RAF base we were looking for. The farmer wasn’t happy about his melons, yet he was already stripping the wreckage when a British Bedford truck rolled up to recover us.

(Due to the limited daylight I decided to roll to see if they found the RAF airfield. Nope. Then I rolled a “3” for the landing, -3 = Zero. Crew safe and the bomber irreparable.)

[limburger59]

B-17E: BLACK JACK
Squadron: 78th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
MISSION DATE: 12 June 42
MISSION # 1 - Bomber out of the Spare Pool
with crew out of the Spare Pool
TARGET: Ploesti, Romania - Astra Oil Refinery

CREW
Position – Rank
Pilot 1st Lt Marvin Long
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Joe Cobb
Bombardier 2nd Lt Leon Linden
Navigator 2nd Lt Stan Sobotik
Engineer M/Sgt Gil Mooney
Radio Operator Sgt Chuck Rowland
Ball Gunner Sgt Gene McNeil
Waist Gunner Sgt James Calhoun
Waist Gunner Sgt Mario Dempster
Tail Gunner Sgt Ed Greenlaw

Bomb Run: Off Target 0%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage:
Superficial x3 (3)
S. Wing Root (25)
Rudder (10)
P. Wing Fuel Tank – Self Sealed (10)
P. Wing Fuel Tank – LEAK (10)
Ins.: Oxygen System out (10)

Peckham Points: 68

Disposition: Safe Landing at Istanbul, Turkey – INTERNED for the duration

Attackers: 5
4x Bf-109: 1 Probable, 1 Damaged
1x FW-190: 1 damaged

Claims: Kills = 0, Probables = 1, Damaged = 2, Driven Off by Escort = 0

Award/Promotion Requests: None

In Hospital: All crew members were healthy and flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT - Flying QOTS (Beery Module):

OUTBOUND- Zones 2 to 10: Nothing to Report

Target Zone 11: Four Bf-109s welcomed us to Romania. On their first pass we damaged one while taking superficial damage. On the next pass we punched back a little harder, and watched one stagger away as a Probable; yet we got the short end of the deal as our port inboard fuel tank was perforated and began to gush precious fuel into the atmosphere. On the final pass our Oxygen instruments were holed and we all strapped on our walk-around bottles.

As we neared the target a lone 190 tried to molest us and couldn’t touch us.

On the Bomb run the Flak seemed intense, yet we weren’t scratched as we released the bombs… only to watch them all land in the soccer field east of the refinery. (Rolled a “1”.) As we cursed our luck the Black Jack was rocked by flak, which got us back to the problem at hand – getting out of here.

Once the Flak lessened we descended to 8,000 feet and set a course to Istanbul. Calculations gave us between 300 and 350 miles of fuel remaining at our rate of leakage, so we didn’t have the luxury of avoiding Bucharest. Navigator figured it was 309 miles. It was Turkey or Bust!

INBOUND- Zone 11 to 8: There were attempts by light guns to reach up and touch us, but we avoided all the attempts at Flak. Sgt. Greenlaw claims there were specks approaching us fast from 6 o’clock when we crossed the Turkish border, and there we received an “escort” of four Turkish P-40s for our last leg to internment in Turkey.

[limburger59]

B-17: THE GOOD SHEPHERD : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 15 June 42
MISSION # 2 (2nd mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Italian Fleet at Sea - East of Malta

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Peter Waldo	2				RTD
Copilot	2 LT	Silas Rediger	2				LW
Bombardier	2 LT	John Donohue	2				RTD	Spare Pool
Navigator	2 LT	Augie Stein	2		1	.5	RTD
Engineer	MSG	Casey Jones	2	.5	1	1	RTD
Radioman	SGT	Osceola Redcloud	2				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Otis “Mad Dog” Roswell	2		1	.33	RTD
PWG	SGT	Verne McCoy	2	.5			RTD
SWG	SGT	Abner Hatfield	2				RTD	PH
Tail Gunner	SGT	Rebel Jackson	2		1	0	RTD

Bomb Run: Rolled an 8 for "On Target" - only washed a sailor off a ship

Casualties: 2LT Silas Rediger: LW - leg grazed, RTD 16 June 42

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x11  (11)
Light Wound (2)
Top Turret destroyed (20)
Radio out (10)
Rudder (10)

Peckham Points: 53

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid, Egypt 

Attackers: 14	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	8	2	1.33	1	2	1
Bf-110	1	0		1	0	0
C.202	5	2	.5	0	0	2
TOTALS	14	4	1.83	2	2	3

Award/Promotion Requests:
    Purple Heart: 2LT Silas Rediger

In Hospital: 2LT Marty Luther - RTD 19 June 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND: We were surprised when three C.202s stumbled on the formation out in the middle of nowhere in Zone 5. It seemed like it was only minutes before our escort was scheduled to return to Egypt, so we got to watch our Little Friends clobber two bandits. The other bandit fell to our Navigator and the gunners on another B-17. We can only surmise that the Italians were ferrying fighters between Crete and Libya, and feared that our position had been broadcast to every Fascist airfield in the theater. We just hoped that our intended target was so audacious that while the Axis was preparing to defend Libya or Greece we would waltz between their picket fences.

TARGET ZONE: The RAF did a great job in getting us to the target, and we approached the Italian fleet in a nice Tight Formation. It seemed that every gun in the fleet opened up on us, and though we were not hit it was still unnerving being less than a mile for from the ack-ack. We could barely see the British Beauforts coming in low on their torpedo runs and agreed that we should not complain about bombing from 20,000 feet.

Bombs away, and we thought we hit one of their destroyers; but as we departed it was obvious we had bracketed the ship, and using binoculars, Sgt Jackson claims he thought that he saw a sailor throwing a life ring into the water (We washed a sailor overboard.)

Leaving the fleet behind us we faced five 109s. One was chased down by a Spitfire, and we hit three of the others in varying degrees – from one being unfazed to one being turned into a fireball. The fighter we didn’t hit on the first pass we damaged on his second pass.

That nice tight formation that flew west was now disrupted as we rallied. Guess it shouldn’t be a surprise as Bombardiers were adjusting to moving targets. It is a miracle there were no mid-air collisions.

INBOUND: We thought we had escaped the hornet’s nest above the Italian Navy, but the Luftwaffe chased us down. In Zone 11we faced three 109s and a 110. The Top Turret knocked out one of the engines on the 110, moments before the turret was shattered by the 110’s shells. The same shells wounding our co-pilot. We also lost our radio and part of our rudder in the frenzy, while our Ball Turret shared in destroying a bandit. On the attacker’s final pass the Ball Turret jammed.

Zone 7 saw attackers harass other bombers in the group but not us. Then in Zone 6 we faced a couple moreC.202s. Our Tail Gunner claimed one of the Italians – later denied – and got to bragging if anyone else got close he’d rip them to shreads. (Roll “Ace for the Day” for the Tail Gunner in Zone 4; almost home.) In Zone 3 we saw specks that kept their distance.

Safe landing at Fayid.

Peter Waldo, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: The Good Shepherd : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-24D: BUNNY HOP
Squadron: 78th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
MISSION DATE: 15 June 42
MISSION # 2 - Bomber out of the Spare Pool, manned by a Spare Crew
TARGET: Italian Fleet West of Malta

CREW
Position – Rank                     (Current Mission)
Pilot 1st Lt Dan Price                             (1)      LW
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Ed Bolland                     (1)
Bombardier 2nd Lt Norman Woods         (1)
Navigator 2nd Lt Harry Shaw                 (1)
Engineer M/Sgt Simon Bunker                 (1)
Radio Operator Sgt Naiche Ten Bears     (1)
Ball Gunner Sgt Henry Garcia                 (1)     ½
P. Waist Gunner Sgt Juan Moreno           (1)      ½
S. Waist Gunner Sgt Matt Travinek         (1)
Tail Gunner Sgt Vito Giannini                 (1)

½ = Shared kill

Bomb Run: Off Target 0%

Casualties: Pilot 1st Lt Dan Price: LW - Torn Bicep muscle, RTD 22 June 42

B-17 Damage:
Superficial x2 (4)
Light Wound (2)
Mech Failure: Oil Tank Leak (10)

Peckham Points: 16

Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid, Egypt

Attackers: 6
    5x Bf-109: 4 Kills claimed - only 1 destroyed E/A credited, 1 Driven Off
    1x G.50: 1 Driven Off

Confirmed Kills = 1, Denied Claims = 3, Probables = 0, Damaged = 0, Driven Off by Escort = 2

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart: 1st Lt Dan Price

AFTER ACTION REPORT - Flying TFT:

    OUTBOUND- Zones 2 to 7: Nothing to Report. Bandits sighted in Zone 6 but did not approach Bunny Hop

    Zone 9: The Ball Turret failed. After a tense 20 minutes, M/Sgt Bunker got it working again.

    Zones 10 to 11: Nothing to report.

    Target Zone 12: The Fascist fly boys circling over their fleet actually helped us to pinpoint the center of the Italian navy. Then, three waves headed our way, and those RAF fighter boys from Malta showed up just in time.

The first wave saw only a lone G.50 try to make a run on us. A RAF Spitfire changed his mind.

Second wave, and nobody got close to us yet we found our place in the formation disrupted. (Random Event.)

Third wave and we had five Bf-109s converge on the Bunny Hop. One started tangling with the RAF leaving the other four to come at us guns a blazing. First pass and one fell away, and the others hit us. This was when fragments slashed into my right bicep, along with some cosmetic damage to the bomber. On their next pass two more bandits dropped out of the sky in exchange for some more superficial damage to our B-24. There was one surviving 109 who tried for a third pass, and he disappeared in a fireball before he could start firing.

Our Engineer was crowing about getting three kills, and I thought that I was going to have to dictate a recommendation for a DFC when we landed. Inexplicably all three of his claims were denied, being credited to gunners on other bombers. (The shared kill by our Ball Turret Gunner and Port Waist Gunner was approved.)

Those ships were throwing up a lot of flak, and I wished we were at 10,000 feet instead of 5000. None touched us though. 2nd Lt Woods thought he had a ship's path figured out, but it zigged when our Bombardier thought it would zag, and all our bombs fell too far from our target to even splash it.

Leaving the fleet behind, enemy fighters were too busy harassing our squadron mates to fire at us.

INBOUND- Zone 11 to 9: Nothing to Report

Zone 8: The #2 engine developed a leak in Zone 8, but it sealed itself in Zone 7 and caused no more concern. Oil Pressure was low but still in the acceptable range.

Zone 7 to 2: Nothing to Report.

Fayid: Safe Landing.

[limburger59]

B-17E: JOKER'S WILD
Squadron: 80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
Low Squadron – Middle Position
MISSION DATE: 15 June 42
MISSION # 2 - Bomber out of the Spare Pool
TARGET: Italian Fleet at Sea – East of Malta

CREW from the Spare Pool
Position – Rank                  (Current Mission)
Pilot 1st Lt Tom Havard                   (1)
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Kirby Barnhill          (1)
Bombardier 2nd Lt Paul Miller          (1)
Navigator 2nd Lt Sam Russell          (1)
Engineer M/Sgt Fred Bailiff              (1)
Radio Operator Sgt Fred Brady        (1)
Ball Gunner Sgt Tasunka Greywolf   (1)
Waist Gunner Sgt Antonio Calvo      (1)
Waist Gunner Sgt Paul Dunbar        (1)
Tail Gunner Sgt Bob Whitford          (1)      LW

Bomb Run: Off Target 0%

Casualties: Sgt Bob Whitford: LW – torn abdomen muscles – RTD 29 June 42

B-17 Damage:
Superficial x1 (1)
Light Wound (2)
Bomb Bay N/E (5)
P. Tail Root (25)
S. Wing Root (25)

Peckham Points: 58

Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid, Egypt

Attackers: 14
    3x Bf-109: 1 damaged
    11x FW-190: 1 damaged, 3 Driven Off

Claims: Kills = 0, Probables = 0, Damaged = 2, Driven Off by Escort = 3

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart: Sgt Bob Whitford

AFTER ACTION REPORT - Flying QOTS (Beery Module):

OUTBOUND- Zones 2 to 6: Nothing to Report

Zone 7: A 109 just came out of nowhere and made a vertical dive on our bomber. Listening to shell fragments rattling around in the Bomb Bay resulted in all of us in the Pilot’s Compartment turning white as ghosts.

Zones 8 to 11: Nothing to report.

Target Zone 12: Two waves came after Joker’s Wild as we approached the fleet, and three more waves as we were rallying and heading home. Sandwiched in between was ineffective Flak and an ineffective Bomb Run.

Eleven of the thirteen bandits were the FW-190 Butcher Birds, and fortunately for us they didn’t live up to their nickname. Root hits will take a little extra repair work – but that will be measured in hours, not days. A nasty graze of Sgt Whitford’s gut will take a bit longer to heal – Doc says two weeks of light duty before he can fly again.

INBOUND- Zone 11 to 2: Nothing to Report. (Had three zones with possible attacking waves – all rolls resulted in “none”.)

Fayid: Safe Landing.

[limburger59]

B-17: THE GOOD SHEPHERD : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

Middle Squadron - Middle
MISSION DATE: 26 June 42
MISSION # 3 (3rd mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Tobruk, Libya

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Peter Waldo	3				RTD
Copilot	2 LT	Silas Rediger	3				RTD	PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Marty Luther	2				SW-IH	PH
Navigator	2 LT	Augie Stein	3	.5	1	1	RTD
Engineer	MSG	Casey Jones	3	1.5	.33	.33	RTD
Radioman	SGT	Osceola Redcloud	3				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Otis “Mad Dog” Roswell	3	.33	.33	.33	RTD
PWG	SGT	Verne McCoy	3	.5	.33	.33	RTD
SWG	SGT	Abner Hatfield	3				RTD	PH
Tail Gunner	SGT	Rebel Jackson	3				RTD

Bomb Run: On Target - 40%

Casualties: 2LT Marty Luther: SW - invalidated home

B-17 Damage: 

Serious Wound (5)

Peckham Points: 5

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid, Egypt 

Attackers: 6	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	4	2	2	0	0	2
FW-190	1	0		2	0	0
C.202	1	0		1	0	0
TOTALS	6	2	2	3	0	0

Award/Promotion Requests:
    Purple Heart: 2LT Marty Luther

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND: We suffered a power failure to the Ball Turret, but it was repaired before we saw any action.

TARGET ZONE: We had a smooth ride on the Bomb Run, putting 40% of our bombs on target.

Leaving Tobruk behind the Fascists finally figured out that we were  tucked inside the Combat Box of the Middle Squadron. The second wave out of three that attacked us after the Bomb Run saw a 109 get past our defenses to put a bullet in the hip of our Bombardier. When he tried to make a successive pass we made the Kraut pay, by blowing up his engine.

INBOUND: We fought off two more fighters on our return trip over the Med. In both cases they limped away towards Africa as Probables. A C.202, and a FW-190. Over Egypt we watch a couple 109s trying to catch up to us when the Spitfires jumped them and sent them back top Libya.

Safe landing at Fayid.

Peter Waldo, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: The Good Shepherd : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: THE GOOD SHEPHERD : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

Night Mission - Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 8 July 42
MISSION # 4 (4th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Bengasi, Libya - Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Peter Waldo	4				RTD
Copilot	2 LT	Silas Rediger	4				RTD	PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Billy Sunday	1				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Augie Stein	4	1.5			RTD
Engineer	MSG	Casey Jones	4	1.83			RTD
Radioman	SGT	Osceola Redcloud	4				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Otis “Mad Dog” Roswell	4	.67			RTD
PWG	SGT	Verne McCoy	4	.83			RTD
SWG	SGT	Abner Hatfield	4				RTD	PH
Tail Gunner	SGT	Rebel Jackson	4				RTD

Bomb Run: On Target - 40%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

#1 Engine out (25)

Suit Heating System Failure (10)

Peckham Points: 35

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid, Egypt 

Attackers: 0	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
TOTALS	0	0	0	0	0	0

Award/Promotion Requests: None

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

It was a lonely night over the Med. All the stars could have made for a romantic walk in the Midwest, but the stress was too high out here for thoughts of romance. At one time north of Tobruk we could have sworn that we saw pinpoints of exhaust traveling north to south below us. Maybe German or Italian transports also taking advantage of the lonely night.

As we entered the Target Zone we noticed that it was starting to get chilly. The main circuits for our Electrical Suits was fried. We began our descent to 10,000 feet, Our fear was that another bomber might drop their bombs on us, while our hope was that the Germans wouldn't be expecting us at the lower altitude. We avoided getting spotted by any searchlights, yet somehow in the dark a burst of Flak knocked out our #1 engine. The fires set by our friends in the RAF were very helpful in locating the port, and our new Bombardier put 40% of our bombs on target.

Leaving Bengasi behind, the Fascists figured that somebody was up there at what was approximately 9000 feet, and out of the seemingly empty desert we faced occasional attempts at flak in Zones 10, 9, and 8 until we crossed back over the Med. Every time they shot at us we adjusted our altitude just in case they were passing the word down the line.

In Zone 5 Inbound the Ball Turret seized up. Our Engineer was able to free it up before sunrise. As the sun came up there was no sign of a German "Dawn Patrol", though we did spot other bombers from the 509th flying around 10,000 feet.

Safe landing at Fayid.

Peter Waldo, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: The Good Shepherd : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: THE GOOD SHEPHERD : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

Night Mission - Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 14 July 42
MISSION # 4 (5th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt - Italian Troop concentrations

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Peter Waldo	5				RTD
Copilot	2 LT	Silas Rediger	5				RTD	PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Billy Sunday	2				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Augie Stein	5	1.5			RTD
Engineer	MSG	Casey Jones	5	1.83	.5	.5	RTD
Radioman	SGT	Osceola Redcloud	5				POW
Ball Gunner	SGT	Otis “Mad Dog” Roswell	5	.67			RTD
PWG	SGT	Verne McCoy	5	.83			POW
SWG	SGT	Abner Hatfield	5				RTD	PH
Tail Gunner	SGT	Rebel Jackson	5		.5	.5	RTD

Bomb Run: On Target - 50%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

#1 Engine on fire - fire spreads to wing (60+)

Tail Guns inop (20)
N/E x2 (10)
Superficial x4 (4)

Peckham Points: Total

B-17 Disposition: Crashed in the Egyptian Desert 

Attackers: 6	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
FW-190	1					1
C.202	5	1	1			3
TOTALS	6	1	1	0	0	4

Award/Promotion Requests: Air Medal for 5 Missions: 

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

The flight over the desert was routine. The lone 190 that approach the Good Shepherd was chased off by a Spitfire. Approaching the target the flak was ineffective and we put 50% of our bombs on target.

Almost immediately after releasing our bombs we watched as five C.202s sped towards us. Our escort drove off three bandits, and the Top Turret and Tail Guns teamed up to destroy a fourth attacker. The remaining Italian was piloted by an Ace and he showed how he got those coup marks on his tail by making three passes on us - the third pass putting a stream of bullets into our #1 engine, starting a fire that quickly spread to the wing.

I turned east hoping to both get over friendly territory, plus to get away from the concentration of friendly troops on the front lines. The fire grew more intense so I rang the bell and we started jumping. All crew members successfully exited the bomber, but I learned after getting to the ground that the first two out floated down over enemy territory. They were SGT Redcloud and SGT McCoy. (The International Red Cross confirmed that both were captured and transportrd to Libya.) The balance of the crew became guests of the 4th New Zealand Brigade, who passed us down the line towards Alexandria as soon as it was safe. 

Peter Waldo, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: The Good Shepherd : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: JAWBONE : B17F-15BO-41-24500
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

Middle Sqdn - Middle
MISSION DATE: 17 July 42
MISSION # 6 (1st and only mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Bardia, Libya - Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Peter Waldo	6				POW + SW	AM
Copilot	2 LT	Silas Rediger	6				KIA	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Billy Sunday	3		1	1	POW
Navigator	2 LT	Augie Stein	6	1.5			POW + LW	AM
Engineer	MSG	Casey Jones	6	2.33			MIA (KIA)	AM
Radioman	SGT	Darrell Lougue	1				POW
Ball Gunner	SGT	Otis “Mad Dog” Roswell	6	.67			POW + SW	AM
PWG	SGT	Willie Perea	1	.83			KIA
SWG	SGT	Abner Hatfield	6				KIA	AM, PH
Tail Gunner	SGT	Rebel Jackson	6	.5			POW	AM

Bomb Run: Off Target - 0%

Casualties: PWG SGT Willie Perea: LW + SW = KIA from multiple shell hits to abdomen and legs
SWG SGT Abner Hatfield: SW + SW = KIA from multiple shell hits to head
Co-Pilot 2LT Silas Rediger: SW + SW = KIA – broken sternum, injured heart; did not survive landing after bailing out
Ball Turret SGT Otis Roswell: SW – Compound fracture of left ulna during landing after bailing out
Pilot 1LT Peter Waldo: LW + LW = SW – shell fragment wound to left leg + torn latissimus Dorsi muscles during landing after bailing out
Navigator 2LT Augie Stein: LW – Broken right foot during landing after bailing out
Engineer MSG Casey Jones: MIA – disappeared into the Sahara after bailing out and body never recovered

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial (13)
Serious Wounds x4 (20)
Light Wounds x2 (4)
Oxygen Fire in Tail (25) (used 1 extinguisher)
S. Flap inop (10)
Interphone inop (10)
Rudder (10)
Control Cables (10)
Ins: Electrical System out (200+) (the reason Jawbone went down)

Peckham Points: Total

B-17 Disposition: Crashed in the Libyan Desert 

Attackers: 11	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	10	1	1	3
Bf-110	1
TOTALS	11	1	1	3	0	0

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart (posthumous): 2LT Silas Rediger, SGT Willie Perea, SGT Abner Hatfield, 
Purple Heart: 1LT Peter Waldo,
2LT Augie Stein, SGT Otis Roswell
Ball Turret SGT Otis Roswell: SW – Compound fracture of left ulna during landing after bailing out

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

Outbound: Nothing to Report.

Target Zone: Approaching the target, we faced two determined Germans in their Bf-109s. On their first pass they sprayed Jawbone at both ends, wounding both my Co-pilot and myself. I could still control the bomber, though my bloody left leg protested as I pressed down on the rudder pedal. On the other hand 2LT Rediger had a fragment ricochet off his chest and was in a daze, shitting up blood. As my engineer has easing him out of the right seat a bandit made another pass at us and suddenly the interphone system went silent. My Navigator came crawling into the Pilot Compartment as more bullets hammered into our bomber. Then it got quiet. I had 2LT Stein go back to check on the fire, while we bore in towards the target. I hoped our Bombardier would figure out that I couldn’t turn control of the bomber over to the Norton without the interphone. And while this was happening two more 109s opened up on us.

The second wave seemed to only do superficial damage to Jawbone, and during the attack my Navigator made it back to report that SGT Jackson had successfully fought the fire and was back manning the Tail Guns hooked up to an A2 oxygen bottle. Flak burst around us, but was light and ineffective. We felt the bomber jump as our Bombardier released the bombs. Then he crawled forward to report that he toggled when the bomber in front of us dropped its bombs, only to watch both salvos hit the water short of the docks.

At this point I made the fateful decision that may have doomed the plane. I take full responsibility for the decision. As we had already been attacked in our 6 o’clock I choose to leave the formation once we were past the defenses around Bardia in order to keep my Tail Gunner at his post. I put my Bombardier in the Top Turret, and I sent the Navigator back to the Nose to plot our course, though I hoped to keep pace with the 509th by visually following the formation two miles above us. Unfortunately when I left the formation it seemed that the Luftwaffe followed.

During the little debriefing I got to do with my crew before the Germans separated me from the enlisted men I learned that a total of seven bandits swarmed us in two waves. Four of the bandits were Aces! I took evasive actions which seemed to throw off my gunners more than the Krauts, especially without the interphone system. 2LT Sunday did get a kill, and another couple 109s were seen to fly away trailing smoke.

The first wave perforated the bomber but didn’t hit anything vital. The second wave is when we believe both of our Waist Gunners were killed, along with damage to our control cables and the destruction of our electrical system. Without power we were going down. 2LT Sunday went back to tell everyone to start bailing out. I wasn’t leaving the bomber without 2LT Rediger, and MSG Jones agreed. He would attach a static line to my Co-pilot’s chute and help him out the door. We couldn’t open the bomb bay without power so the Master Sergeant carried the unconscious Co-pilot towards the waist and left me to fight the mortality wounded bomber. I grabbed my chute and headed for the waist as I saw the 109s preparing to make another pass at my bomber about three minutes later. I happily saw the the ball turret was empty, but recoiled as I stepped over the mangled bodies of my Waist Gunners. Jawbone was beginning to drift and was about to go into a spiral as I threw myself out of the door.

I hit the rocky ground hard, tearing muscles in my ribcage. I couldn’t walk, let alone run, and some Bedouins saw me and turned me over to the Germans. Within hours I learned that all my crew were accounted for except MSG Jones. Sadly, 2LT Rediger did not survive the landing and was dead when found. Since MSG Jones was not captured I can only hope and pray that he successfully escaped and returned to Lydda.

Addendum: MSG Jones was classified as MIA. He disappeared into the wastes of the Libyan desert and was never heard from again.


(I used both the optional rules for bailing out seriously wounded crew and possible injuries when bailing out.)

Peter Waldo, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: The Good Shepherd : B17F-15BO-41-24499
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group

High Squadron - Middle
MISSION DATE: 22 July 42
MISSION # 8 (2nd mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Suda Bay Crete, Shipping

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	2				RTD
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	2				RTD
Bombardier	2 LT	Abel Magwitch	2				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	2	.33	1	1	RTD
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	2				RTD
Radioman	SGT	Luke Wopsle	2				FB-IH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	2		.5	0	RTD
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	2				RTD
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	2		.5	0	RTD
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	2	.5			RTD

Bomb Run: On Target - 20%

Casualties: SGT Wopsle - Severe Frostbite resulting in amputation - Invalidated Home

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x4 (4)
N/E hits x1 (5)
P. Aileron destroyed (10)
P. Wing Root (25)
Radio Operator Heat Out (10)

Peckham Points: 54

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Lydda 

Attackers: 6	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	3	1	0	2	0	0
FW-190	3	1	1	0	1	0
TOTALS	6	2	1	2	1	0

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart - SGT Luke Wopsle

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

In Zone 7 we faced three Bf-109s and took advantage of them. Two staggered away as Probables, and the third one spun towards the Aegean engulfed in flames. We were sure our gunners shot him down but credit was given to other gunners. No complaints, we appreciate the teamwork of the combat box and noted that the formation tightened up after that attack.

In the first wave that greeted us to the Target Zone a FW-190 made a point of walking hits along our wings. Though the damage wasn’t minor, the fuel and engines escaped unharmed. During the second wave we had two of those Butcher Birds pay attention to our bomber. Our Navigator set one on fire, but his buddy put a number of holes in Great Expectations. The serious damage was done to our Radio Operator’s electrical suit; the wiring being destroyed enough where the suit was fried. To add insult to injury the Radio Room had a number of ventilation holes punched through the walls where the compartment heat was sucked out. The freezing wind blast was described as a “gale”. Sgt. Wopsle stuck to his gun and radio as the flak started up.

Flak was sporadic and inaccurate. Seems that all the Germans’ big guns are in North Africa or hopefully destroyed in yesterday’s mission. We put 20% on target and headed for home.

Understanding our role in the integrity of the Combat Box, I told Sgt. Wopsle that we needed to stay at 20,000 feet at least until we rendezvoused with our Little Friends. At that point we would descend to warmer climes. We allowed him to make a number of trips into the cockpit to take advantage of our compartment heat vent, but it was insufficient to overcome the destruction of his electrical suit. By the time we descended to 8000 feet it was too late. Our Radio Operator was severely frostbitten.

Safe landing at Lydda.

Addendum: Sgt. Wopsle was invalidated home. His right fingertips will recover, but his nose and left foot both required amputation after infection set in.
(OOC: See history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/ColdInjury/Chapter07.htm for the effects of Frostbite and www.303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear3.html regarding Electrical Suits. At the time the 509th is flying over North Africa all we had was the F-1 Electrical Suits. Before August 1943, the F-1 suit was wired in series, and a single break would cause the entire suit to lose power. The F-2 incorporated more flexible wiring than in previous suits. It was wired in parallel, rather than in a series, to eliminate failure problems with breakages.)

Phillip Dickins, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Middle Squadron - TAIL
MISSION DATE: 30 July 42
MISSION # 9 (3rd mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Pylos Bay, Greece, Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	3				RTD
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	3				RTD
Bombardier	2 LT	Abel Magwitch	3				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	3	1.33			RTD
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	3				RTD
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	1				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	3				RTD
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	3				RTD
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	3				RTD
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	3	.5			RTD

Bomb Run: On Target - 30%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

None

Peckham Points: 0

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 0	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
TOTALS

Award/Promotion Requests: None

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

A Milk Run. (OOC: Not what I expected when I volunteered for Tail End Charlie. I rolled numbers for Axis Fighter Appearances that either ended in a one or a six, and finished up with three Random Events. The Disrupted Formation occurred too late to be a factor. Aggressive Little Friends were unneeded. That Lady Luck Smile will come in handy in the future.)

Safe landing at Lydda.

Phillip Dickins, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Middle Squadron - Middle
MISSION DATE: 30 July 42
MISSION # 10 (4th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Maleme, Crete, Airfield

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	4				LW
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	4				LW
Bombardier	2 LT	Abel Magwitch	4				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	4	1.33			RTD
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	4		2	2	RTD
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	2				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	4		2	.5	RTD
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	4				RTD
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	4				RTD
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	4	.5	1	1	RTD

Bomb Run: On Target - 40%

Casualties: 1 LT Dickins: LW / torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42
                  2 LT Pocket: LW / torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x23  (23)
N/E hit   (5)
Light Wounds x2  (10)
#3 engine - fire/out (50)
P. Wing Root x3  (75)
S. Wing Root x1 (25)
Oxygen Instruments (10)
Waist Oxygen  (10)
Pilot Comp. Oxygen x2 (15)
Cockpit Window  (10)
Intercom out (10)
P. Waist Gun permanently jammed
S. Waist Gun temporarily jammed

Peckham Points: 243 = 5 days to repair

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 23	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	21	5	3.5	5	2	3
Bf-110	2				1
FW-190	0
TOTALS	23	5	3.5	5	3	3

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart: 1 LT Dickins, 2 LT Pocket

In Hospital: All crew flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

Almost to the target and they discovered what our Target for Today was. Like hornets protecting their nest they E/A came swarming up. Not as many at first, unless you were one of the unfortunate bombers they fixed on. In our case we watched the first wave dart in and out of the formation, hunting for a weakness in our combat box. The second wave was larger and we had three 109s with an unhealthy attraction to our bomber. Our Top Turret flamed one bandit, but the Port Waist Gun jammed, and the Cheek Gun missed, and we were rocked by shells hitting our Port wing root and knocking out the oxygen system ship-wide. Everyone quickly transferred to their A-2 bottles, and continued to fight. The remaining two Germans came back for more, and each wave we whittled their numbers down to zero. (Out of the three claims, only 1.5 would be confirmed.)

 Our bomb run put 40% of our bombs on the hangers and other outbuildings. Then the skies got very crowded. Three waves molested the 509th. The first wave featured a 109 and a 110. The 110 knocked out our Interphone system. The last thing I recall hearing over the com was the Port Waist Gunner reporting that his gun was permanently jammed as I left the formation to descend to breathable air. Then reports of E/A positions and silence. The second wave of five 109s set the #3 engine on fire, and wounded both my Co-pilot and myself. The third wave I couldn't see, but the boys in the back report that there were three more 109s. Though we hit all three only one went down, and it felt like they took a jackhammer to both wing roots. Once there was a break in the action our Engineer bandaged both my Co-pilot and I up, and we continued flying.

In Zone 6 five German fighters found us all alone and worked us over. We were perforated throughout, yet few shells hit any thing important. We really suffered from the lack of the Interphone here as our gunners could not coordinate their defense. Finally, Zone 5, and the Spitfires from Cyprus found us just minutes before the Luftwaffe. The first two 109s were chased off by our Little Friends. Three more 109s then arrived and the RAF made it back to stop one. The other two hammered us some more. Seems like they ravaged our already defunct Oxygen system. In return we punched one in the nose and it sputtered off back towards Crete. With the distance it needed to travel back to Crete, plus the amount of oily smoke it was trailing, we're calling that one a Probable. 

The Cyprus Spitfires then handed us over to some P-40s from Alexandria, who escorted us home. Both my Co-Pilot and I allowed M/SGT Gargery a turn in our seats as our wounded arms were throbbing by that time, yet we were back in control as we descended towards Fayid.

Safe landing at Fayid.

Phillip Dickins, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

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B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Night Mission - Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 7 August 42
MISSION # 11 (5th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Tobruk, Libya - Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Glen Cranston	7				RTD	AM, from Spare Pool
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	1				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	Abel Magwitch	5				KIA
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	5	1.33			RTD
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	5	2			RTD
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	3				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	5	.5			RTD
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	5				RTD
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	5				RTD
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	5	1.5			RTD

Bomb Run: Off Target - 5%

Casualties: 2 LT Magwich: decapitated - KIA

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x1  (1)
KIA Wound   (10)
Tail Guns destroyed (20)

Peckham Points: 31 

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 7	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	3	0		2	1
C.202	4	0		1		3
TOTALS	7	0		3	1	3

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart (posthumous): 2 LT Magwich

In Hospital: 1 LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins - PH: torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42

            2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

Almost crashed on takeoff but we got off the ground and on course for our lonely mission. It was a stressful, yet uneventful flight to the target, until we tried to drop our bombs... only to discover that the release had suffered a mechanical failure somewhere over the Med. LT Magwich quickly reacted and manually released the bombs, yet those few extra seconds were enough to overshoot the target.

Not long after the dawn we faced our first bandit - a lone 109 out of the sun. Fortunately he missed us as our half blinded Engineer  looked into the sun and clipped the E/A which began to smoke and headed south. Next came a couple more 109s, and while we damaged both, one of them made multiple passes, killing our Bombardier and knocking out our Tail Guns. We faced two more waves, a pair of Italian C.202s in each; but they found us when we were in range of the RAF fighters at Alexandria. Only one got past the Spitfires, and our Navigator poured a stream of fire into its cockpit and we watched as it staggered away towards the Libyan border.

Safe landing at Fayid.

Glen Cranston, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

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B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Middle Sqdn - Middle
MISSION DATE: 7 August 42
MISSION # 12 (6th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Porto Lago Bay

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Glen Cranston	N/A				RTD	AM, from Spare Pool
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	N/A				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	George Cunningham	N/A				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	N/A	1.33			RTD
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	N/A	2			RTD
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	N/A				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	N/A	.5			RTD
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	N/A				RTD
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	N/A				RTD
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	N/A	1.5			RTD

Bomb Run: DNB - Bombs Jettisoned in Zone 3 after the loss of the #3 engine

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

#3 Engine FIRE/OUT due to Mechanical Failure

Peckham Points: 50 

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 0	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
TOTALS	0

Award/Promotion Requests: None

In Hospital: 1 LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins - PH: torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42
            2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

Zone 3 outbound the #3 engine suddenly caught fire. It was successfully extinguished, but there was no way the mission could be continued. As we dropped out of formation the bombs were jettisoned into the Med. We made it back alone on three engines and no enemy aircraft were sighted.

Glen Cranston, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

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B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Night Mission - Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 14 August 42
MISSION # 13 (7th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Matruh, Egypt - Tank Farm

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Glen Cranston	7				RTD	AM, from Spare Pool
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	2				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	George Cunningham	1				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	6	1.33			RTD	AM
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	6	2	1	1	RTD	AM
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	4				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	6	.5			RTD	AM
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	6				RTD	AM
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	6		.5	.5	RTD	AM
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	6	1.5	.5	.5	RTD	AM

Bomb Run: On Target - 95%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x1  (1)
#1 engine - runaway / feathered / out (40)

Peckham Points: 41 

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 10	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	2					2
C.202	8	2	2	1		5
TOTALS	10	2	2	1	0	7

Award/Promotion Requests: DFC: 2 LT Cunningham for 95% on target

In Hospital: 1 LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins - PH: torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42
            2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

The flight to the Target Zone was uneventful onboard the Great Expectations. All we could do is watch the fireworks below us in the Low Squadron and on the periphery of the formation. Once we neared the coast and made the turn for Matruh the skies heated up. Two waves tried to get past our Little Friends but four of the five attackers with an interest in our bomber were dissuaded by the RAF, and the only fighter that got past the Spitfires - a C.202 - was dismantled by four streams of lead from the Top Turret and Tail Guns. Flak seemed brutal, but most of the bursts were beneath us in the Middle and Low Squadrons - poor devils - but this allowed our new bombardier the concentration to drop our bombs in the midst of the buildings and vehicles below. The secondary explosions indicated that he nailed munitions. We are hoping those were shells for the 88s.

Leaving the target we were beset by five more C.202s. Three were run off by the RAF, and the remaining two lashed out, striking our #1 engine which began to runaway. Fortunately LT Sylos and I were able to feather and shut it down. While we were focused on the engines our gunners dealt with the returning bandits. Our Top Turret and Starboard Waist Gun shredded the tail of one fighter sending it plunging into the burning sands below. The other one stitched down the fuselage by our Navigator on a Cheek Gun and it wobbled away as a Probable.

Once out of the Target Zone there were no other encounters or problems.
  
Safe landing at Fayid.

Glen Cranston, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

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B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Low Squadron - LEAD
MISSION DATE: 20 August 42
MISSION # 14 (8th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Ploesti, Romania - Oil Refinery

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Glen Cranston	N/A				RTD	AM, from Spare Pool
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	N/A				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	George Cunningham	N/A				RTD
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	N/A	1.33			RTD	AM
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	N/A	3			RTD	AM
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	N/A				RTD
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	N/A	.5			RTD	AM
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	N/A				RTD	AM
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	N/A	.5			RTD	AM
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	N/A	2			RTD	AM

Bomb Run: DNB - Mission Aborted / No Mission Credit

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

Plane-wide Oxygen System Failure (10)

Peckham Points: 10 

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 0	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
TOTALS	0

Award/Promotion Requests: None

In Hospital: 1 LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins - PH: torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42
            2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

It was with a feeling of pride as the boys climbed aboard Great Expectations. We were the Lead Bomber for the 80th Squadron, and at the tip of the spear was our Bombardier, who had been recommended for the DFC after putting 95% of our bombs on target last mission.

It was with a feeling of dismay as our oxygen system suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure in Outbound Zone 4 and we realized that we would have to abort our mission and return to Egypt at 10,000 feet. One of our young gunners even asked if there was anyway we could make it to Romania by constantly refilling our Walk-Around bottles. No dice.

God speed Flak Dodger and the 80th. We'll be waiting on the Tarmac to welcome you home.
  
Safe landing at Fayid.

Glen Cranston, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

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B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Night Mission - Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 30 August 42
MISSION # 15 (9th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Tobruk, Libya - Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Glen Cranston	8				RTD	AM, from Spare Pool
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	3				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	George Cunningham	2				KIA	DFC
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	7	1.33	1	Denied	RTD	AM
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	7	3	.33	.33	RTD	AM
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	5		.33	.33	LW	RTD 1 Sept 42
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	7	.5			RTD	AM
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	7				RTD	AM
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	7	.5			RTD	AM
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	7	2	.33	.33	RTD	AM

Bomb Run: On Target - 50%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x3  (3)
KIA Wound (10)
Light Wound (2)

Peckham Points: 15 

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 10	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	3	1	1	1	1
FW-190	2				1	1
C.202	5	1	0	1		1
TOTALS	10	2	1	2	2	2

Award/Promotion Requests: Air Medal & Purple Heart: SGT Joshua Clark

In Hospital: 1 LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins - PH: torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42
            2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND ZONES 1 to 4: Nothing to Report

ZONE 5: Two C.202s made a run at us. One was discouraged by a Hurricane and the other one was dismantled by our Navigator, though the credit was denied. (Seems that the guys on the single guns get discriminated against in favor of the sexy twin turrets, but I'm not complaining , Sir.)
  
ZONE 6: Nothing to report.

TARGET ZONE 7: As we approached the target, the other B-17s in our squadron kept the bandits away. Flak didn't get close, allowing our Bombardier to put 50% of our bombs on target. Another stellar bomb run to go with the last one, where 2LT Cunningham earned his DFC with his accuracy. Tragically there would be no celebration, as the moment we completed the bomb run we were beset by three C.202s, and one of those Italian peashooters put a bullet through our Bombardier's head. We believe the responsible bandit was sent back to Tobruk trailing smoke, but a Probable was a bitter trade for our young Bombardier. 


INBOUND ZONE 6: Three 109s tried to molest us. The one foolish enough to try coming at our 6 o'clock was cut to ribbons by the Top Turret, Tail Guns, and Radio Room Gun. In exchange our Radio Operator had a fragment graze his neck. Another inch to the right and he would have been a goner, but instead the Doc says he'll only be out a couple of days. 


ZONE 5: Nothing to report.


ZONE 4: A couple Butcher Birds tried to intercept us. One was run off by the RAF and the other took same damage and left us alone.


ZONE 3 to 2: Nothing to report.

FAYID: Safe landing.

Glen Cranston, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

High Squadron - LEAD Bomber
MISSION DATE: 31 August 42
MISSION # 16 (10th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Alam-ei-Halfa, Egypt - Troop Concentrations

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Glen Cranston	9				RTD	AM, from Spare Pool
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	4				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	12				RTD	AM+
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	8	1.33	1		RTD	AM
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	8	3.33	.33		RTD	AM
Radioman	SGT	Mitch Adams	5	.33	.33		RTD	from Spare Pool
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	8	.5	1	Denied	RTD	AM
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	8				RTD	AM
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	8	.5			RTD	AM
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	8	2.33	.33		RTD	AM

Bomb Run: On Target - 40%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x3  (3)
Starboard Fuel Tank - Self Sealed (10)

Peckham Points: 13 

B-17 Disposition: Safe at Fayid

Attackers: 10	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	2					2
Bf-110	2	1	0			1
C.202	6					3
TOTALS	10	1	0	0	0	6

Award/Promotion Requests: Air Medal: SGT Mitch Adams

In Hospital: 1 LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins - PH: torn flexor - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42
            2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42
            SGT Joshua Clark - PH- grazed neck - hospitalized, RTD 1 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND: Attackers kept away by other B-17s.

TARGET ZONE 3: Approaching the I.P. we saw a 109 try to play chicken with us, but before we could fire at him a Hurricane drove him off. At the same time a 110 tried to come up beneath us and our Ball Gunner cut him to pieces... along with every other Ball Gunner in the squadron, plus an assortment of Top Gunners and Waist Gunners from the Middle Squadron. How we escaped without getting hit by friendly fire is a miracle. SGT Drummle was denied credit for the kill.

We were peppered with flak fragments both approaching and leaving the target, yet that did not deter our Bombardier, newly transferred from the Spare Pool, from putting 40% of our bombs on target.

As we rallied and turned east for home three waves of angry bandits clawed at the 509th. Only during the second wave was there an dedicated attempt to get to our bomber. Three C.202s made a run for us. Two were run off by the RAF while the remaining Italian missed us and kept on heading west.

INBOUND: We faced two waves in Zone 2. Only two of the E/A got past our Little Friends, and we traded misses with them.

FAYID: Safe landing. After flying on four missions with this crew I will be returning to the Spare Pool, as the regular commander of the Great Expectations is due to be released back to full duty status.

Glen Cranston, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

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B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Low Squadron - Middle Bomber
MISSION DATE: 7 Sept42
MISSION # 17 (11th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Alam-ei-Halfa, Egypt - Troop Concentrations

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	7				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Jerry Sylos	5				RTD	from Spare Pool
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	13				RTD	AM+
Navigator	2 LT	Clive Pumblechook	9	1.33			KIA	AM
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	9	3.67			RTD	AM
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	6				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	9	1.5	1.5	1	RTD	AM
PWG	SGT	Henry Hubble	9				SW-IH	AM
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	9	1	.5	.5	RTD	AM
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	9	3	1	1	RTD	AM

Bomb Run: On Target - 30%

Casualties: Navigator 2LT Clive Pumblechook: KIA - broke neck bailing out 
        Port Waist Gunner SGT Henry Hubble: SW-IH broken ribs and inflamed heart - Invalidated Home

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x4  (4)
S. Wing - N/E (10)
Top Turret inop (20)
Serious Wound (5)
Belly Landing (90)

Peckham Points: 129 - RTD after 4 days of repairs. 

B-17 Disposition: Belly Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 15	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	5	1	.5	1
FW-190	1
C.202	7	2	2	1		1
Re.2000	2
TOTALS	10	3	2.5	2	0	1

Award/Promotion Requests: Purple Heart: 2LT Clive Pumblechook (posthumous), SGT Henry Hubble
         Air Medal: 2LT Jerry Sylos

In Hospital: 2 LT Matthew Pocket - PH: torn bicep - hospitalized, RTD 8 Sept 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

The commander of the Great Expectations returns to duty sporting a brand new Purple Heart. 1LT Cranston out of the Spare Pool did a great job filling in but it is nice to have Pip back.

(Die rolls throughout seemed to be either high or low. Takeoff started with snake eyes, and in the next zone I roll box cars for a Mechanical Failure on a variant table I am working on.).

TAKEOFF: We had a brief moment of terror as #3 back fired and momentarily lost some power; but she came back to life before we hit the sand and she purred like a kitten for the remainder of the mission.

ZONE 2: (Mechanical Failure of the Landing Gear that will not be discovered until returning to Fayid.)

ZONES 3 to 5: Nothing to report.

TARGET ZONE 6: Two Re.2000s flashed by, knocking out the Top Turret and seriously wounding our Port Waist Gunner. We couldn’t touch them and we were distracted when California Dream exploded in the midst of the 80th squadron. (Took one superficial hit from those bombs detonating on California Dream.) Flak added another hole in our skin and then bombs away for 30% on target.

Leaving the target we faced fighters in all three waves that caught up to the formation. First wave saw two 109s dedicate themselves to Great Expectations, with one of those bandits losing its port wing to our Ball Gunner (only received ½ credit).

Second wave doubled in size with four E/A heading our way. Our Ball Turret Gunner again tagged a 109, but this one survived and staggered back towards Kastelli as a Probable. The FW-190 that made a vertical dive on us only inflicted superficial damage as it zoomed past us.

On to the third wave and this time five Italians in their C.202s tried to molest us. They regretted it because in exchange for one superficial hit our gunners destroyed two and severely damaged the one who hit us.

ZONE 5: Nothing to report.

ZONE 4: Two more C.202s, probably out of Rhodes, headed our way. Fortunately the RAF off of Cyprus had joined us and chase one away. The other one punches some holes in us, tries another pass, and heads for home.

ZONES 3 to 2: Nothing to report.

FAYID: Just as we were preparing to fire off a red flare we discover that the landing gear will not go down. As the weather continued to degrade we circled the field as our engineer and ball gunner tried to no avail to get the gear down. Finally we accepted the fact that we needed to land. Because of the poor weather I ordered everyone to bail out except for my co-pilot and the starboard waist gunner, who was caring for his fellow waist gunner. I’m not sure if the mud made the landing better or worse but we survived (rolled a modied “2”). Unfortunately my Navigator got tangled up in his shrouds and broke his neck in the landing. Our Bombardier almost landed hard and claims that the only thing that saved him was his lucky charm.

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Night Mission - Bomber Stream
MISSION DATE: 13 Sept42
MISSION # 18 (12th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Bengasi, Libya - Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	8				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	7				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	14				RTD	AM+
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	8				RTD	AM, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	10	3.67			RTD	AM
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	7				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	10	2.5			RTD	AM
PWG	SGT	Steve Crogan	1				RTD
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	10	1.5			RTD	AM
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	10	4			RTD	AM

Bomb Run: OffTarget - 0%

Casualties: None 
        

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x1  (1)

Peckham Points: 1 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 5	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	3			1		1
Bf-110	1					1
FW-190	1				1
TOTALS	5	0	0	1	1	2

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - First Oak Leaf Cluster for 10 completed missions: MSG Joe Gargery, SGT Bentley Drummle, SGT John Wemmick, SGT Mick Jaggers

In Hospital: Everybody healthy

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

The co-pilot, 2LT Pocket, is returned to full duty, fully recovered from the wound suffered on Mission 10.

OUTBOUND: Nothing to Report - a dark, lonely night over the Med. 

TARGET ZONE 9: Wow, those searchlights are bright; and when one latched onto us it held on like a terrier with a rat. We began evasive maneuvers as the Flak got closer - a fragment slicing through our waist. Our Bombardier was calmly reminding me that he needed to take command of the bomber when suddenly the Ball Turret and port waist gun started blasting away with very uncalm reports of a bandit at 9 o'clock low. They believe it was a 109 that flashed past us with guns ablazing. I've heard them called "Wild Boars" but the crew decided "Bat outa Hell" would be a better name. Back to our Bombardier... between the glare filling the nose and the late transfer of the command of the bomber he was off target. (At least we can only assume he was off target. He overshot the impressive looking flames below us that we can only assume were gasoline fed fires.)

Once we left Bengasi behind we escaped the searchlights and slowly regained our night vision and turned for home; this time over a dark, lonely sea of sand.  

INBOUND: Nothing to report until the sunrise. Both Dawn Patrols were out and the RAF got to us about the same time as the Luftwaffe. Our Little Friends drove off a 109 heading our way while our Top Turret tagged another 109, which limped westward trailing smoke. The FW-190 was flown by an obviously green pilot who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. He also left us in a damaged state. Closer to home we spotted a Bf-110 making a beeline for us... and a Hurricane making a beeline for the 110. Thank you RAF!

FAYID: Safe landing and even better than that, real eggs for breakfast!

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Middle Squadron - Middle Position
MISSION DATE: 29 Sept 42
MISSION # 19 (13th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Suda Bay, Crete - Port Facilities

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	9				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	8				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	15				RTD	AM+
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	9				RTD	AM, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	11	3.67			RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	8				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	11	2.5			RTD	AM+
PWG	SGT	Steve Crogan	2				KIA
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	11	1.5			RTD	AM+
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	11	4			RTD	AM+

Bomb Run: On Target - 30%

Casualties: SGT Steve Crogan: KIA
        

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x22  (22)
KIA  (10)
Ball Turret Heat out (10)
Ins: Oxygen out x2 (15)
Radio out (10)
Nose Gun out (10)
P. Wing Root (25)
P. Tail Root (25)

Peckham Points: 137 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 10	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	5				4
C.202	3			1
G.50	2
TOTALS	10	0	0	1	4	0

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - SecondOak Leaf Cluster for 15 completed missions: 2LT Patrick Kline
         Purple Heart (posthumous): SGT Steve Crogan 

In Hospital: Everybody healthy

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND: After weeks of questionable weather we are wheels up. Nothing to Report.

TARGET ZONE 7: Multiple waves impact the 509th, but only the last wave seems to notice that we are tucked away in the middle of the middle. Three C.202s come screaming in and we miss but they don't. After the first pass the Oxygen is out and we are scrambling to hook up to our A2 walk-around bottles while we watch two of them come back to inflict more damage to the Great Expectations - all minor this time. On their third pass it was finally our turn, and the Ball Turret hammers one of the Italians, who staggers away as a probable. We also lost the Radio and Nose Gun in the frenzy, so it was a relief to avoid the flak and watch 30% of our bombs hit the target. 

Once we rallied we waved good-bye to the squadron and descended to 10,000 feet. I guess there are advantages to clouds as only two G.50s found us. We couldn't touch them while one of them rocked our Port wing root with his little peashooters.   

INBOUND: In Zone 6 we were discovered by five Bf-109s. It looked like two Aces were taking three rookies out on a training flight, and we were going to be the lesson of the day. On their first pass we barely scratched the paint on one of the greenhorns while one of the Aces walked hits from our tail to our nose. Every hit was inconsequential. Our already defunct Oxygen system took another hit while the heating rheostat in the ball was gutted; but at 10,000 feet the gunner had already turned off his heat. The second pass was more serious; we damaged three attackers but they put a shell right between the eyes of the new guy on the crew - our Port Waist Gunner Sgt Crogan on his second mission. On their third pass we traded superficial damage and then one of their Aces saluted us and they headed back to Crete. (I rolled five FCA results!)

We assumed that those 109s would radio our position to their friends and we would be harassed the entire way across the Med, but we didn't see another bandit the entire way. (We did catch glimpses of the rest of the group two miles above us.)

The only other item of note was the Ball Turret shorted out in Zone 2. Our Engineer successfully repaired the wiring and SGT Drummle was confortably out of his Turret as we approached Fayid.

FAYID: Very safe landing, in spite of the bad weather.

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

LowSquadron - Middle Position Outbound - LEAD on Inbound leg
MISSION DATE: 11 Oct42
MISSION # 20 (14th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Convoy at Sea

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	10				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	9				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	16				RTD	AM++
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	10				RTD	AM, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	12	3.67			RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	9				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	12	2.5			RTD	AM+
PWG	SGT	Jesse Alverez	8				RTD	AM, PH
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	12	1.5			RTD	AM+
Tail Gunner	SGT	Mick Jaggers	12	4			SW-DOW	AM+

Bomb Run: On Target - Ship damaged & slowed (Rolled a 9)

Casualties: SGT Mick Jaggers: SW - Died of Wounds
        

B-17 Damage: 

Serious Wound  (5)
P. Tail Root (25)
Structural N/E (10)

Peckham Points: 40 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 7	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	2			1
FW-190	2				2
C.202	3			2
TOTALS	7	0	0	3	2	0

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - First Oak Leaf Cluster for 10 completed missions: 1LT Phillip “Pip” Dickins, 2LT Walt Swan
         Purple Heart: SGT Mick Jaggers 

In Hospital: Everybody healthy

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND: Nothing to Report.

TARGET ZONE 9: Desert Rat, leading the squadron seemed to be a magnet for enemy fighters, and we couldn’t help them without hitting the Rat with friendly fire. We were able to concentrate on the bomb run, and in spite of a spank on our Tail right before release, our Bombardier was able to bracket a freighter. We are unsure how much damage we did, and when I asked our Tail Gunner for a report there was nothing but silence. I sent SGT ____ out of the waist and he found SGT ____ seriously wounded. (I rolled a Serious Wound, and used his Lucky Charm for a reroll…. SW again.) SGT ______ began administering first aid as fighters headed our way.

In the midst of the distraction in our tail, ahead of us Desert Rat was hammered, losing speed, and was dropping out of the formation. We slid into the Lead as bandits swarmed around us. At least in the Lead the survivors of the 80th Squadron could act as our Tail Gunner.

Three Jerries made a run at Great Expectations. We did cosmetic damage to a couple of them while taking no damage.

INBOUND: In Zone 8, it seemed that the bandits were nipping at the heels of the formation, as we saw no action. This allowed our Waist Gunners to move SGT _____ to the Radio Room where they made him warm, gave him a shot of Morphine, and sprinkled Sulfa powder on multiple punctures in his abdomen. I had SGT ____ take over the Tail Guns, leaving SGT _____ to watch over the Waist.

In Zone 7 we were halfway between the Axis bases on Crete and Tobruk, and it showed. Again the heavier resistance seemed to nip at the heels of the formation and we only faced three Italians in their C.202s. Two to them staggered away with significant damage. We didn’t see them go down, but can only hope that they may have been damaged enough to fail to reach land.

Zone 5 and we began to rendezvous with the RAF, but there were still attempts by E/A to exact revenge for our attack on their supplies. Two 109s made a pass on us and our Top Turret and Ball Turret combined to stitched one at 9 o’clock level, throwing off his aim, and almost resulting in the tottering German colliding with our waist. Fortunately he missed us, and the pilot seemed to be fighting for control of his plane as he began the lonely journey back to Egypt. Another Probable that might get tracked down by our English friends in their Spitfires.

We faced no more resistance for the remainder of the journey home.

FAYID: Fired off a red flare as we arrived and made a safe landing.

SGT Jaggers was rushed into surgery. The Doc was sure that they removed all the metal from his gut, but peritonitis set in and six days later the Sergeant succumbed to the raging sepsis infection.

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

High Squadron - Middle Position Outbound - TAIL on Inbound leg
MISSION DATE: 15 Oct 42
MISSION # 21 (15th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Corinth Canal, Greece

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	11				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	10				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	17				RTD	AM++
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	11				RTD	AM, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	13	3.67			RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	10				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	13	2.5	1	1	RTD	AM+
PWG	SGT	Jesse Alverez	9				LW	AM, PH
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	13	1.5			LW	AM+
Tail Gunner	SGT	Norman Mallory	7	2.83	1	0	RTD	AM

Bomb Run: Off Target 5%

Casualties: SGT Jesse Alverez: LW - torn gastronemius - RTD 22 Oct 42
                    SGT John Wemmick: LW - severed big toe on left foot RTD 29 Oct 42
        

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x6 (6)
Light Wound x2 (4)
S. Flap inop (10)
S. Aileron inop (10)
Ball Turret Guns out (20)

Peckham Points: 50 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 13	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	10	1	0	2		3
FW-190	3	1	1		1
TOTALS	13	2	1	2	1	3

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - First Oak Leaf Cluster for 10 completed missions: 2LT Matthew Pocket, SGT Joshua Clark
         Purple Heart: SGT Jesse Alverez, SGT John Wemmick

In Hospital: Everybody healthy at Take Off

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND ZONE 2: The Axis were waiting for us, and we were still over Egypt when a 109 was heading right for our nose! The RAF intervened though before he was in range. We can only hope that the Fascist are clueless as to our destination.

ZONE 3 to 8: Nothing to Report, until Hellzapoppin exploded at the rear of the squadron, pelting us with assorted airplane parts. If they had exploded right in front of us we may have gone down with them. Looks like Queen's Gambit drew the short straw and is the new Tail for the squadron. .

TARGET ZONE 9: Four Bf-109s made a run at us. Our gunners hit two and our new Tail Gunner, just liberated from the Spare Pool, swears his was a "kill", but unfortunately with no witnesses all we can say is two "Probables". Flak removed both our starboard flap and aileron, and the ack-ack guns seemed to hammer Queen's Gambit a bit more, because as our bombs were released our Tail Gunner reported that Gambit was dropping out of the formation and we were the new resident of Purple Heart Corner. Hopefully we'll last longer than Hellzapoppin  or Queen's Gambit.

Three waves took turns slashing at the 509th as we turned for home. Only the second wave figured out that our tail was exposed, but other than some superficial damage from a 109 at 6 o'clock we escaped the feeding frenzy. 

INBOUND ZONE 8: Nothing to Report.

ZONE 7: Two 190s and a 109 came at us. Miraculously both attackers at 6 o'clock missed us, while the Butcher Bird at 3 o'clock low was turned into a funeral pyre by our Ball Turret.

ZONE 6: We're relieved that the E/A aren't swarning at our tail and at our depleted Combat Box. Must be bad Luftwaffe communications. (Random event this turn.) 

ZONE 5: Nothing to report 

ZONE 4: Three 109s headed for our rear end but we were close enough to Cyprus for the RAF to make a difference. Two bandits were discouraged by our chaperone. The remaining E/A had pieces removed by our Top Turret, but not enough damage to prevent him from firing back at us, and wounded both our Waist Gunners, along with damaging our Ball Turret guns. (SWG used his Lucky Charm to turn a KIA result to a light wound.)

ZONE 3 and 2: Nothing to Report.

FAYID: Fired off a red flare as we arrived and made a safe landing. Unlike last mission, this time though the Doc guarantees that our two wounded Waist Gunners will survive and fight again.

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding

B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

High Squadron - Middle Position Outbound - TAIL on Inbound leg
MISSION DATE: 23 Oct 42
MISSION # 22 (16th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Corinth Canal, Greece

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	12				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	11				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	18		1	1	RTD	AM++
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	12				RTD	AM, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	14	3.67			RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	11				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	14	3.5	1.5	1	LW	AM+, PH
PWG	SGT	Jesse Alverez	10		.5	0	RTD	AM, PH+
SWG	SGT	Lewis Sullivan	3				RTD	Spare Pool
Tail Gunner	SGT	Norman Mallory	8	2.83			RTD	AM

Bomb Run: On Target 60%

Casualties: SGT Bentley Drummle: LW - gash on head - kept overnight for observation RTD 25 Oct 42
        

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x2 (2)
Light Wound  (2)
Control Cables x1 (10)

Peckham Points: 14 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 12	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	7	2	2	1	1
FW-190	3			1	1
Ju88	1	1	0
G.50	1
TOTALS	13	3	2	2	2	0

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - First Oak Leaf Cluster for 10 completed missions: SGT Jesse Alverez
         Purple Heart: SGT Bentley Drummle

In Hospital: Sgt John Wemmick: recovering from wounds suffered on Mission 21. RTD 29 Oct 42

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today):

OUTBOUND: Nothing to Report until Zone 6, when we noticed a strange multi-engine plane shadowing the formation. My engineer swears it was a FW-200 - a German Reconaissence aircraft. I was going to reply, "So much for the element of surprise.", when the boys starting calling out, "Bandit at 10 o'clock!" A Bf-109 came screaming past our squadron. Looks like he was trying to line up three of us at once, and in doing so he missed all of us. Sgt Alverez knocked a piece off of his rudder but it didn't slow him down.

TARGET ZONE 7: Three waves rose up to greet us to Tobruk. The first wave didn't get near us (Random Event - Lady Luck Smile) and the second wave featured only a single 109 paying attention to our B-17, which quickly left the fight trailing smoke. Then a Ju88 headed for our starboard side...and our Ball Turret gunner and Starboard Waist poured hot lead into the attackers cockpit. Three chutes were spotted as it nose dived into Tobruk harbor. The boys were celebrating the whole way back until they got to Fayid and learned their claim was denied.

Flak, though light, peppered our waist, damaging the control cables and wounding our Ball Turret gunner. What the flak didn't do was hamper our Bombardier's aim - 60% on target.

The bandits seemed to focus on other bombers as we rallied and didn't molest us.

INBOUND: In Zone 6 a G.50 seemed to reluctantly make a pass at us before running for home. Zone 5 featured three FW-190s. In exchange for two minor hits to our bomber we spanked two of them with more significant damage - though both flew back towards Bardia.

In Zone 2, within sight of the Egyptian shore, the Luftwaffe made one last desparate try to claw us out of the sky. Two waves of three 109s each made runs at the Great Expectations. We swatted one bandit in each wave into the surf below.

FAYID: Safe landing.


Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group[/b]

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

Low Squadron - Middle Position Outbound - TAIL on Inbound leg
MISSION DATE: 3 Nov 42
MISSION # 24 (17th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Fuka, Egypt - Troop Concentrations

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	13				RTD	AM, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	12				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	19	1			RTD	AM++
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	13				RTD	AM, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	15	3.67			RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	12				RTD	AM, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	15	4.5			LW	AM+, PH
PWG	SGT	Jesse Alverez	11				RTD	AM, PH+
SWG	SGT	Lewis Sullivan	4				RTD	Spare Pool
Tail Gunner	SGT	Norman Mallory	9	2.83			RTD	AM

Bomb Run: On Target 50%

Casualties: None
        

B-17 Damage: 

None

Peckham Points: 0 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Fayid

Attackers: 0	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109
FW-190
Ju88
G.50
TOTALS	0	0	0	0	0	0

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - Second Oak Leaf Cluster for 15 completed missions: MSG Joe Gargery, SGT Bentley Drummle

In Hospital: Everybody healthy and flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today): The definition of a milk run

Rolled two waves, both ended up being "None."

FAYID: Safe landing.


Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group[/b]

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS  LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

High Squadron - Middle Position 
MISSION DATE: 8 Nov 42
MISSION # 25 (18th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Sfax, Tunisia - Airfield

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	14				RTD	AM+, PH
Copilot	LtC	Cal Moody	x				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	2 LT	Patrick Kline	20	1			RTD	AM++
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	14				RTD	AM+, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	16	3.67			RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	13				RTD	AM+, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	16	4.5			RTD	AM++, PH+
PWG	SGT	Jesse Alverez	12				RTD	AM+, PH+
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	14				RTD	AM+, PH
Tail Gunner	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	13	2.83			RTD	AM+

Bomb Run: On Target 30%

Casualties: None
        

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x7 (7)
P. Wing outboard fuel tank - self seal (10)
Autopilot inop (10)

Peckham Points: 27 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at RAF Hal Far, Malta

Attackers: 12	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	11			3		3
FW-190
Re.2000	1					1
TOTALS	0	0	0	3	0	4

Award/Promotion Requests:
         Air Medal - Third Oak Leaf Cluster for 20 completed missions & Promotion to 1LT: 2LT Patrick Kline

In Hospital: Everybody healthy and flying today

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today): 

The Group XO, LtC Cal Moody, took over the co-pilot's seat, and my co-pilot took over the Tail guns. My Tail gunner, recently moved over from the Spare Pool, returned there for one mission only. We look forward to seeing him in Malta.

OUTBOUND: For the crew of Great Expectations, the flight across the Med was just a constant string of oxygen checks. A few enemy aircraft tried to harass the 509th off of Tobruk and Benghazi which made the Exec. happy as he was convinced that based on our course and past practice the enemy first in Greece and Benghazi, and then the heel of Italy were going on alert and wasting gasoline while we made the course change in Zone 9 heading for Tunisia. He made a point of touring the bomber while my co-pilot came up to normal station.

TARGET ZONE 15: As we approached the Tunisian coast a lone Re.2000 tried to get behind us, much to the consternation of my co-pilot serving as our Tail. Thankfully the RAF from Malta made rendezvous and a Hurricane quickly ran him off. We took some superficial flak damage then spotted the field and put 30% of our bombs on target. LT Pocket believes we took out some transport aircraft on the northwest edge of the field.

INBOUND: Resistance picked up as the Axis figured out where we were, and it seemed that every available E/A on Sicily and Southern Italy were waiting for us over Malta. The RAF rose to the occasion, and the few Hurricanes and Spitfires that they could patch together seemed to be everywhere. We faced three waves totaling eleven Bf-109s, and our little friends dealt with a quarter of those attackers. Our gunners damaged a further 25% of the attackers

MALTA: Barely safe landing, using every inch of available runway. (Rolled a modified "2".) I wonder what the XO thought of the landing? Glad he was in a hurry to get out and see how the rest of the 509th did instead of lecturing me on landings.  

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group[/b]

[limburger59]

B-17: GREAT EXPECTATIONS : B17F-15BO-41-24503   LLS  LLS
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group     

High Squadron - Middle Position 
MISSION DATE: 16 Nov 42
MISSION # 26 (19th mission this bomber) 
TARGET: Bizerte, Tunisia - Airfield

CREW

Position	Rank	Name	Current Mission	Kills	Claims Today	Confirmed Today	Status	Notes
Pilot	1 LT	Phillip “Pip” Dickins	15				RTD	AM+, PH
Copilot	2 LT	Matthew Pocket	14				RTD	AM, PH
Bombardier	1 LT	Patrick Kline	21	1			RTD	AM++
Navigator	2 LT	Walt Swan	15				RTD	AM+, PH
Engineer	MSG	Joe Gargery	17	3.67	.5	.5	RTD	AM+
Radioman	SGT	Joshua Clark	14				RTD	AM+, PH
Ball Gunner	SGT	Bentley Drummle	17	4.5	1	1	RTD	AM++, PH+
PWG	S/SGT	Jesse Alverez	13				RTD	AM+, PH+
SWG	SGT	John Wemmick	15				KIA	AM+, PH
Tail Gunner	S/SGT	Norman Mallory	11	2.83	.5	.5	RTD	AM+

Bomb Run: On Target 60%

Casualties: SGT John Wemmick - KIA - Flak shrapnel pierced his left temple.
        

B-17 Damage: 

Superficial x4 (4)
KIA Wound (10)

Peckham Points: 14 

B-17 Disposition: Safe Landing at Chateaudun-du-Rhumel

Attackers: 8	#	Claimed Destroyed	Confirmed Destroyed	Probable	Damaged	Run Off
Bf-109	7	2	2			3
FW-190
Re.2000	1					1
TOTALS	8	2	2	3	0	4

Award/Promotion Requests:
        Purple Heart (posthomous): SGT John Wemmick
        Air Medal - Second Oak Leaf Cluster for 15 completed missions: 1LT Phillip Dickins, 2LT Walt Swan

        Air Medal - Third Oak Leaf Cluster for
achieving Ace Status: SGT Bentley Drummle

AFTER ACTION REPORT (Target for Today): 

OUTBOUND: Nothing to report. Now that we're flying eastward with a loaded bomb bay it is a lot more important to watch for the Hun in the sun.

TARGET ZONE 5: Somehow we escaped the frenzy approaching the target, allowing 1LT Kline to concentrate on putting 60% on what looked to be a crowded airfield. That soon changed as we were peppered by Flak, with a fragment of shrapnel piercing our Starboard Waist Gunner's left temple. It was SGT Wemmick's 15th mission and he was hoping he would learn if his promotion came through on our return to Algeria.

Turning for home we faced three waves of E/A. Roughly a third of the bandits were chased off by those new-fangled P-38s, while our veteran gunners teamed up to knock down two 109s.

INBOUND: Enemy fighters were driven off by the combined firepower of the other bombers in the 509th.

MAISON BLANCHE: Safe landing.  

Phillip "Pip" Dickens, 1 LT, USAAF, Commanding
B-17: Great Expectations : B17F-15BO-41-24503
80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group[/b]